Bickering toward oblivion at Canada Post

Canada Post and its recalcitrant union are driving away clients and dooming their business.

The strike is over, but Canada Post and its embittered union continue to prove to Canadians that they can’t provide reliable mail delivery.

Two weeks after being legislated back to the work, the Crown corporation is struggling to clear a backlog of 40 million items. By last Thursday, the logjam was so large Canada Post stopped accepting letters from its large-volume business clients. Many of its corporate clients have already given up on the post office, switching to private couriers and electronic communication where possible.

Even before last month’s 32-day service interruption — 12 days of rotating strikes followed by a 14-day lockout and six days of preparation to reopen — Canada Post faced shrinking volumes and dwindling profits. It can’t afford to alienate users who have tried to stick with it.

The union claims its members could eliminate the backlog faster if Canada Post allowed them to work longer hours. The post office says it already has offered overtime to most of its workforce. Anick Losier, who speaks for the corporation, expects service to be back to normal by the end of this week. She said the same thing last week.

What is clear is that the post office’s dysfunctional relationship with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is jeopardizing its survival, frustrating its clients and creating a legacy of ill will. It doesn’t matter which side deserves the largest share of the blame. Both are hastening the demise of the 144-year old Crown corporation.

Federal minister Denis Lebel, to whom Canada Post reports, has questions to answer as well. Did his government ensure the post office had a feasible post-strike recovery plan? How much longer is it willing to tolerate sub-par performance? What alternatives is it exploring?

No doubt it’s a challenge to hit the ground running from a complete standstill. But Canada Post is stumbling when it should be hitting its stride. Its excuses and its union’s short-sightedness are wearing thin.

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